Closures and the combination of a receptacle and a closure therefor



July 30, 1957 A. F. GONTERO 2,800,392

CLOSURES AND THE COMBINATION OF A RECEPTACLE AND A CLOSURE THEREFORFiled April 26, 1954 IN V EN TOR. ADQLPH F. GONTERO United States ?atentCLGSURES AND THE COMBINATION OF A RECEP- TACLE AND A CLOSURE THEREFORAdolph F, Gontero, Maytield Heights, Ohio, assignor of fifty percent toFrank Mancino, Cleveland, Ghio Application April 26, 1954, Serial No.425,488

7 Claims. (Cl. 126-443) My invention relates to closures and to thecombination of a receptacle and a cover or closure therefor, and moreparticularly to closures for containers or receptacles which areutilized for receiving ashes from paper or other material burned in ahousehold incinerator.

At the present time, household incinerators are being extensivelyutilized in homes for burning paper and other refuse. The incinerator isusually installed in the basement or utility room of the home and as nowconstructed is provided with a receptacle which is slidable in acompartment below the burners to receive ashes from paper or otherrefuse which is burned in the incinerator. At certain intervals, it isof course necessary to remove the receptacle and empty the ashes andbecause the ashes are usually in a comparatively fine state, they may beeasily blown from the receptacle by drafts or gusts of wind and this isparticularly true when doors leading from the basement and the home areopen, or they may be blown into the face or upon the clothes of a personcarrying the receptacle or removing ashes therefrom. It is also wellknown that such ashes constitute valuable fertilizer but because theyare in a comparatively fine state, it is diflicult to deposit themuniformly over the desired portions of a lawn or garden.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide an improved cover orclosure for receptacles utilized in incinerators which serves to preventashes from being blown from the receptacle while the receptacle is beingcarried from the basement or utility room in which the incinerator isinstalled. In my improved structure, the closure is slidable over theupper portion of the receptacle or container and is provided with partswhich interfit with the front portion of the receptacle while thereceptacle and cover are being carried from the incinerator to a placewhere the ashes are to be deposited. In my improved structure, the covermay be and preferably is provided with a comparatively narrow door atits rear end portion to permit ashes to be graduallyvand uniformlydispensed from the container. The cover is also provided with carryingmeans, such as a handle, which is so arranged upon the cover that thereceptacle and cover may be carried in slightly inclined positions tothe location desired or in distinctly tilted positions so that the ashesmay be uniformly distributed over a lawn or garden.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved cover or closure for receptacles or con tainers utilized forreceiving ashes from an incinerator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved combinationincluding a container or receptacle and a cover or closure thereforwhich closure is slidable upon the container to its closed position andwhich is provided with parts which interfit with the receptacle tomaintain the cover in position while the receptacle and the cover arebeing carried from the incinerator to the place where the ashes are tobe deposited.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved receptaclein combination with a cover having a door at its rear end portion andmeans arranged adjacent its front end portion which interfit with frontportions of the receptacle when the cover is in closed position toprevent accidental removal of the cover from the container while thecover and container are being carried and in which the cover is providedwith carrying means secured thereto which is arranged in such positionupon the cover that the cover and receptacle may be carried in slightlyinclined positions to the place where the ashes are to be deposited orin distinctly tilted position so that the ashes may be uniformlydistributed upon a lawn or garden when the door of the cover is in apartial or completely open position.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the cover assembled upon a receptacle, aportion of the top wall and door of the cover 'being shown broken away;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on a plane passing through theline 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cover; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the receptacle with the cover in place,showing the door of the cover in a partially open position.

While the ash receptacle may be of any suitable shape in whichinterfitting parts may be provided between the receptacle and cover, asillustrated in the drawings, it comprises a bottom wall 1, side walls 2,an inclined rear wall 3, and a front wall 4. The receptacle isconstructed of heat resisting material, such as metal, and to provide acomparatively strong structure, the side walls of the receptacle areprovided with reversely bent flanges 5 and the rear wall is alsoprovided with a reversely bent flange 6 and side flanges 7 which flangesmaybe welded or otherwise secured to the respective walls of thereceptacle against which they are bent. As shown in the drawings, thefront Wall of the receptacle extends upwardly above the side walls 2 andis reinforced by an outer front wall 8 having an upper flange 9extending inwardly over the inner front wall, a lower flange 10extending over the bottom wall, and side flanges 11 and 12 extendingover the side walls 2, respectively.

In accordance with the present invention a cover for the receptacle isprovided that may be slid over the upper edge of the side and rear wallsand may be moved into interfitting engagement with the side flanges onthe outer front wall and while the cover may be formed in various ways,as illustrated in the drawings, it comprises a top wall 13 having sideflanges 14 and 15, and end flange 16 inclined downwardly at the samedegree of inclination as the rear wall of the receptacle, and a forwardend having a vertically extending strip 17 provided with a flange 18bent in a direction reverse to the strip 17 and engaging the top wall ofthe cover.

The top wall of the cover is provided with carrying means, such as ahandle 19, which extends longitudinally of the cover and is arranged ata distance closer to flange 18 than to the opposite end of the cover andinterfitting means are provided between the cover and the receptaclewhich are maintained firmly in place by the weight of the receptaclewhen the assembly is carried by the handle 19. While any suitableinterfitting means may be provided between the receptacle and cover, asillustrated in the drawings, the forward end of the cover is providedwith a pair of slots 20 and 21 for receiving flanges 11 and 12,respectively, and the vertical strip 17 and flange 18 are received inthe space below the top flange 9 and between flanges 11 and 12.

During the operation of the incinerator the receptacle will of course heslid into the compartment provided for it in the incinerator to receivethe ashes from the paper or other refuse that is being burned. When itis desired to empty the receptacle, the receptacle is pulled outwardlyfromtheincinerator by a knob 22 extending'through its front wall whichis provided for this purpose and'my improved cover is then inserted inplace with the flanges 11 and 12 of the receptacle extending'into theslots 20 and 21 of the cover and the vertical strip 17 and flange 18 ofthe cover extending below the top flange 9 and between flanges 11 and 12of the receptacle.

In accordance with the present invention, the carrying means is soformed and arranged upon the cover that the weight of the cover and thereceptacle will maintain the cover in interfitting engagement with thereceptacle while the receptacle is being carried or when'ashes are beingdispensed therefrom. As shown the carrying means is in the form of ahandle 19 which is of an elongated U-shape extending longitudinally ofthe cover with one of its legs 23 arranged closer to the center of thecover than the other leg 24. The legs 23 and 24 of the handle terminatein flanges which may be welded or otherwise secured to the top of thereceptacle. Both legs of the handle, however, are arranged closer to theflange 18 than to the other end of the cover. In carrying thereceptacle, if the hand engaging the handle is arranged closer to theleg 23 than to leg 24, there will be a slight inclination of the coverand receptacle and the weight of the cover and receptacle will hold thecover firmly on the receptacle so that there is no danger of thecoverbeing removed from the receptacle.

Whilethe cover as described protects the ashes from being blown from thereceptacle, another important feature of my invention is to providemeans whereby the ashes may be dispensed from the receptacle while thecover is in place. For this purpose, the cover is provided with a narrowdoor 25 at its rear end which may be pivotally secured in any desirablemanner to the main cover portion 13. As illustrated, two pairs of hingeplates 26 and 27 are provided, each pair having interfitting knucklesthrough which a pivot pin 28 extends. The pivot pins 28 are of such sizethat they provide a comparatively tight fit within the knuckles so thatthe door 25 may be maintained in a fully or partially open position.When the ashes are to be dispensed from the receptacle, the handle isgrasped closer to leg 24 than to leg 23 to provide the desiredinclination of the receptacle to dispense the ashes through door 25which may be moved to a partially or a fully open position by means of aknob 25a. The ashes may therefore be uniformly distributed over thedesired area of a lawn or garden;

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an ash receptacle having a bottom' is in closedposition, means arranged on the front end' of said cover and extendingupwardly therefrom for engaging the inner flat face of the front wall ofsaid receptacle below said top flange which in conjunction with the rearwall limits the closing movement of said cover, and carrying means forsaid cover and receptacle which carrying means is secured to said coverat a position arranged closer to the front end of the cover than to therear end thereof so that the weight of said receptacle will hold therear flange of the cover in engagement with the rear Wall of saidreceptacleand the upwardly extending means on vsaid cover in engagementwith the inner flat faceof the front wall of the receptacle when thecover and the recep- 4 tacle are being carried in an inclined positionby said carrying means.

2. In combination, a receptacle having a bottom wall, upwardly extendingrear and spaced side walls, and a front wall having an inner flat faceextending upwardly from the bottom wall to a substantial distance abovethe side walls which front wall is provided with inwardly extending topand spaced side flanges, a slidable cover for said receptacle having arear flange which engages the rear wall of said receptacle when thecover is in its closed positionand an upwardly extending flange at itsfront end which is of such size that it will fit snugly within the spacedefined by the inner face of the front wall and the inwardly extendingside and top flanges on said front wall, said cover having a narrow slotarranged adjacent each side and extending rearwardly from its front endto receive the side flanges on the front wall, thereby permitting theupwardly extending flange on said cover to engage the inner face of thefront wall when the coveris in closed position, and carrying means forsaid cover. and receptacle which carrying means. is secured to saidcover at a position which is 'arranged closer to the front end of thecover than to the rear end thereof so that the weight of said receptaclewill hold the rear flange of said cover in engagement with the rear wallof said receptacle and the upwardly extending flange at the front end ofaid cover in engagement with the inner face of the front wall of thereceptacle when the receptacle and cover are carried in an inclinedposition by said carrying means.

3. In'combination, a receptacle having a bottom wall, a rear wallextending upwardly and being inclined rearwardly. from the bottom wall,spaced side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, and a frontwall extending upwardly from the bottomwall to a substantial distanceabove the side walls and said front wall being provided with an inwardlyextending top flange, a slidable cover for said receptacle havingdownwardly extending side flanges engaging. the outer faces of the sidewalls of the receptacle, a downwardly and forwardly inclined rear flangefor engaging the outer face of the rear wall of the receptacle and anupwardly extending strip at its front end which engages the inner faceof the front wall of said receptacle below its top flange when the coveris in closed position, and carrying means for said cover and receptacle,said carrying means being secured to said cover at a position arrangedcloser to the front end of the cover than to the rear end thereof sothat the weight of said receptacle will hold the rear flange of saidcover in engagement with the rear wallof said receptacle and the stripon the front end of the cover in engagement with the front wall of saidreceptacle when the receptacle and cover are being carried 7 in aninclined position. 7

4. In combination, a receptacle having a bottom wall, a rear wallextending upwardly and being inclined rearwardly from the bottom wall,spaced side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, and afrontwall extending upwardly from the bottom wall to a substantial dis,-tance above the side walls and said front wall being pro vided withaninwardly extending top flange, a slidable cover for said receptaclehaving downwardly extending side flanges for engaging the outer faces ofthe side walls of the receptacle, a downwardly and forwardly inclinedrear flange for engaging the outer face of the rear wall of thereceptacle, and an upwardly extending strip at its front end 7 whichengages the inner face of the, front wall of said receptacle below-thetop flange ofthe front wall of saidreceptacle when thecover is in closedposition, carrying means for said cover and receptacle, said carryingmeans being secured to said cover at a position arranged closer to thefront end of the cover than to therear end thereof so that the weight ofsaid receptacle will hold the rear flange 1 of said cover in engagementwith the rear wall of said receptacle and thestrip on the front end ofthe cover when the receptacle and cover are being carried in an inclinedposition, and said slidable cover being provided with a door at its rearend portion which extends over the inclined rear wall of the receptacle,one end of which door engages the upper edge of the rear flange of saidcover to form a continuation of the cover when the door is in a closedposition and which enables ashes to be dispensed from the rear end ofsaid receptacle when the door of the receptacle is in a fully or partlyopen position and said receptacle and cover are being carried in aninclined position by said carrying means.

5. A slidable closure for receptacles having side and rear walls and afront wall extending above the side walls and provided with an inwardlyextending top flange, said closure having downwardly. extending sideflanges for engaging the outer faces of the side walls of thereceptacle, a downwardly extending rear flange for engaging the rearwall of the receptacle, and a flange extending upwardly from its frontend for engaging the front wall of said receptacle below its top flange,and carrying means secured to said closure at a position closer to thefront end of the closure than to the rear end thereof so that when saidclosure is applied to the receptacle with its rear flange engaging therear wall of the receptacle and its front flange engaging the front wallof the receptacle, the closure and the receptacle to which it is appliedmay be carried in an inclined position by said carrying means.

6. A slidable closure for receptacles having side walls, an upwardly andrearwardly inclined rear wall, and a front wall extending above the sidewalls which front wall is provided with an inwardly extending topflange, said closure having downwardly extending side flanges forengaging the outer faces of the side walls of the receptacle, adownwardly and forwardly extending rear flange for engaging the rearwall of the receptacle, and an upwardly extending flange at its frontend for en gaging the front Wall of the receptacle below its top flange,and carrying means secured to the closure at a position closer to thefront end of the closure than to the rear end thereof so that when saidclosure is applied to the receptacle with its rear flange engaging therear flange of the receptacle and its front flange engaging the frontwall of the receptacle, the closure and the receptacle to which it isapplied may be carried in an inclined position by said carrying means.

7. A slidable closure for receptacles having side and rear walls, anupwardly and rearwardly inclined rear wall, and a front wall whichextends upwardly beyond the side walls and is provided with an inwardlyextending top flange, said closure having downwardly extending sideflanges for engaging the outer faces of the side walls of thereceptacle, a downwardly and forwardly inclined rear flange for engagingthe rear wall of the receptacle, and an upwardly extending flange at itsfront end for engaging the front wall of the receptacle below its topflange when the closure is in closed position, and said closure having arear door hingedly connected thereto and forming part of said closure,the rear end portion of which door engages the upper end of the rearflange of the closure when the door is in its closed position and saiddoor being movable from its closed to a partly or fully open position,and carrying means secured to said closure at a position closer to thefront end of the closure than to the rear end thereof so that when saidclosure is applied to the receptacle with its rear flange engaging therear wall of the receptacle and its front flange engaging the front wallof the receptacle, the closure and the receptacle to which it is appliedmay be carried in an inclined position by said carrying means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS221,057 Hall, Jr. Oct. 28, 1879 448,548 Schitierly Mar. 17, 1891 476,353Allred June 7, 1892 1,700,793 Fitzgerald Feb. 5, 1929

